The Banished Prince
by we'llmakeyoufuckinsick
Summary: First person account from Kyouya Ootori, a young peasant boy who is to lead the banished Prince back home, lest the Kingdom of Allfen should fall to En Ohriz. OHSHC AU, possible KyouyaxTamaki in later chapters.
1. Leaving Home

**_Leaving Home._**

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><p>Rescet had always been a lively town. The people that lived there were generally courteous and polite, and most of them had travelled there to study at the local university, which was the best in all of Allfen, our Kingdom. The town was alive with ideas and intellectual debates, as well as the calls of the tradesmen who sold their produce on the streets.<p>

Today was different. Today a mournful silence fell over our Kingdom for the death of the Queen. She had not been old enough for natural death to have been considered a possibility, and there were rumours buzzing through the streets that it had been an assassination by poison, executed callously by the people of En Ohriz, an opposing Kingdom that sought to take everything from us.

The day our Queen was taken from us, I was sat at home, swirling my drink idly around my goblet with my mind exhausted from the endless questions I was left with after my lectures. My mother, who was sick now, probably approaching death, told me of what had come to pass. I felt some sadness for her loss, but like the rest of the Kingdom, I gave a secret sigh of relief for her death. She had pushed our King to raise taxes needlessly high so that she could clothe herself in the finest garments, matched with expensive jewellery. Her vanity had worn our people down over the years, but we remained loyal to King Suoh who always had our best interests at heart. I had led my mother back to bed and told her to sleep, otherwise she may never get any better.

"Goodnight, mother," I whispered to her softly, closing our worn and tattered curtains and blowing out the candle in her room, allowing it to descend into semi-darkness.

"Goodnight, Kyouya," She managed to respond, her voice strained from the effort. I stroked her dark hair as I listened to the ragged breaths that pained me so, and then lowered my lips to kiss her forehead. I wanted to tell her I loved her, I suppose, but I couldn't find the words, and when I did, they stuck in my throat. I simply nodded and left.

I returned to the living room and then sat back down in the uncomfortable chair and lowered my head. Although I had earned my place at the prestigious University, I knew the costs had not been easy to meet for my mother, especially since my father had fallen in battle against En Ohriz a few years previously. I was working intermittently, but jobs were hard to keep in this day and age, especially when I had to keep attending my lectures and staying on top of my workload. I hoped that with the death of the Queen, the taxes would drop again, and then I would be able to afford medicine for my mother. A ridiculous thing to do, I suppose, to simply rely on the twists and turns of the King's will like that, but I felt that there was little else I could do.

A week passed, and still there was no word of the taxes dropping, though I was unsure why. King Suoh was bound to be mourning, I supposed, but some changes had been made to our defenses... was another attack from En Ohriz was anticipated? But changes had been made, so the grief was not so immobilising. So why no change in the taxes? Was he pouring it all into defenses? I tortured myself over that question for hours every night.

Dawn came all too early, and I began about my usual routine of checking on my mother before my lectures. I made her breakfast with the watered down drink that was all we could afford, and then began to get ready myself, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. I dressed as quickly as I could and then went to the door, arching an eyebrow. Mail? We never received mail. I thanked the delivery man and paid him (albeit, reluctantly) for the letter, but he pushed the money back.

"It is a letter from the King, Sir," He said with an air of excitement. The King? Why would the King write to me?

"Is this some kind of joke?" I asked, but he merely laughed and clapped his hand on my shoulder.

"No, dear Sir. It has been an honour to deliver such a letter, but if you'll excuse me, I must continue with my work," He bowed to me with a wink and hurried on his way. I closed the door and sat down with trembling hands. A letter from the King? Why? I gently pulled the crimson ribbon loose and unfurled the letter carefully.

_'For the eyes of Kyouya Ootori only.  
><em>  
><em>I have heard of your academic achievement in our top university, and firstly, I wish to congratulate you. It is an amazing feat indeed, and you should be very proud of yourself. I have heard from your professors that you are at the top of your classes, and of all the students there, you are considered the most gifted. It is for this reason, Mr. Ootori, that I have a proposition for you.<br>_  
><em>I'm sure you can forgive an old man for actions which are a little less than acceptable, but for the last week I have been having you watched, and have become aware that your mother is gravely ill. If you do as I ask, Ootori, then I assure you that she will be given the finest medical treatment that Allfen has in its possession. With this, I am sure that she will be back on her feet in no time.<br>_  
><em>Naturally, I do not expect you to accept such a request without first knowing what it entails. Before I disclose that information, Ootori, I ask that you destroy this letter after you have read it, even if you do not choose to accept my proposal. I also order you never to repeat what I am about to tell you, on pain of death.<br>_  
><em>Kyouya Ootori, just west of the university, on the outskirts of Rescet, I have a son, a son who I wish to become the Prince after I pass away. Though this information has not yet leaked into the press, after our last victory over En Ohriz, they are seeking to rise again and take revenge on our Kingdom. The rumours, I'm afraid, seem to be true; my wife was indeed poisoned, and it was this which caused her death. In her final hours, I became aware that I had no heir to take the throne should anything happen to me, and in this thought I found a terrible fear – the fear that En Ohriz would be successful in their aims and bring our Kingdom to ruin.<br>_  
><em>Though this information never reached the ears of the people (and thank goodness it didn't, for the folly of my youth would have forever brought shame to my heart), I had a mistress, in my younger years, who bore me a child. My Queen discovered this, and had my mistress executed and ordered that I have my child, Tamaki, sent away to live as a peasant, lest she tell my people what I had done. In exchange for her silence, I complied.<br>_  
><em>Tamaki now lives northwest of your current location, and I ask that you bring him to me. I ask you, Kyouya, because of all the men that my servants have seen in Rescet, you seem the most capable for the job I have in mind for you in future, though that is not for now. The journey Dhente, where my palace is, may be a long one, but in this time I hope that you will get to know my son, and serve him well for one day he shall be your King. All I need from you now, Kyouya, is to bring him to me. Do not worry for your mother; when you leave, her health will be tended to by the finest medics in our land who are already on their way to Rescet. Forgive me if that seems a little overly presumptuous, Kyouya, but I am a desperate man.<br>_  
><em>My son should now be in his early twenties, and from what I hear he is a pleasant young man, though not the brightest of sparks, with blond hair and a rather frivolous mind considering his current circumstances. He is under the care of a family who know nothing of his past, but I ask you to take him without explanation (though I do not wish to call it kidnapping, I suppose that is what it would be). I cannot risk word getting out, Kyouya, I cannot, not until he is here.<br>This is a task you are to carry out alone, as you are a clever boy with tact and knowledge, and not as heavy-handed as my guards. Your other duty is to teach my son all you can over the course of this journey, and make sure he, in his delight at finding such a future, does not alert others of this fact. As I have mentioned, he is not a clever boy.  
><em>  
><em>If you choose to accept this mission, meet the one of the many guards I am sending (my best, of course), by your local carpenter's at 10am on the morning you receive this. He will be dressed casually to avoid arousing suspicion, but all equipment (horses and food, etc) is in the woods to the north of the university, including money for my son and for all expenses you may incur on your journey.<br>_  
><em>This task will require you and Tamaki to travel incognito; if word gets out that the young Prince is coming here, I fear that En Ohriz will try to intercept, and though I'm sure my guards will protect you and my son with their lives, I would rather not lose them and risk your lives, not to mention the scandal it would cause. Our Kingdom needs this, Kyouya, a new Prince to raise its morale and lead us to victory against En Ohriz. I can not afford to have our soldiers give up when En Ohriz launches it attack. I wish you the best, and eagerly await your arrival.<br>_  
><em>Yours,<br>_  
><em>King Suoh.'<em>

I leaned back from the letter, my lips parted in utter shock, but I soon gathered myself. En Ohriz _was_ on the rise and I was... I was to kidnap the future King and bring him to Dhente. My heart was racing, and I set the letter down and began to pace up and down the small room, three paces forward, three paces back, unsure if I should accept the King's proposal. On one hand, I _could_ face death, I would be missing out on my education, and I ran the risk of not being there in my mother's final hours. On the other hand, my mother would surely die, and I may become partially responsible for the fall of our Kingdom. I stopped walking at the sound of my mothers coughing, which escalated to the point where she gagged and then groaned in pain. I heard the springs on the bed creak as she lay back down. My mind was made up in that moment.

I picked up the letter and threw it into the fire, listening to it crackle sharply in response, and, as quietly as I could, began to get ready to leave. Despite the King's promise of equipment and food on the journey, I packed away small pieces of bread and some water in a canteen, as well as a ribbon my mother had worn in her hair when she was well. I held it to my heart for a moment, and then slipped it into the old bag with frayed edges that had once held my books from the university, and I wondered vaguely if it would ever hold such things again.

My thoughts were interrupted by the firelight catching the frame of an old portrait we had had done before my father had died. I eased it out from its place behind the sofa, where my mother had hidden it to avoid the memories, and I smiled at it fondly for a while. My mother was bright and healthy, her hand rested on her stomach which had held my baby brother before he had been lost so early in his life. Burying him had been a terrible experience for us all. My father stood tall and proud, his arm wrapped around her, and I had been dressed in clothes that were much more substantial than the ones that hung off me now. Ah, what a happy family we had been... I tucked the picture away again, wondering how the artist had captured us all so perfectly, and then thought no more of it. I looked one last time at my home, and then made for my mother's room before pausing. I never walked in there before I left for university, and today, I supposed I should do nothing differently.

"I'm leaving now, Mother... I love you," I called out to her.

"I love you too, Kyouya..." She said, in a voice so quiet and weak that I supposed that most people wouldn't have been able to hear it, not unless they were listening as intently as I was at that moment. I laughed softly and then disappeared out of the door, allowing myself to smile as my heart filled with hope and apprehension for the journey ahead.

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><p>Pronunciation:<br>Allfen: Ale-fen  
>En Ohriz: En aw-riz<br>Rescet: Ress-ket  
>Dhente: Don-té<p> 


	2. The Servant Prince

**_The Servant Prince._**

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><p>I stood awkwardly outside the carpenter's, wondering where on the face of Allfen the guard might be. This place seemed to be empty, save one lone child who was bothering the carpenter. I watched him through the window with mild interest as the church bells struck ten, and then began to look for the guard again. My attention was torn away from the search as the door to the carpenter's burst open, and the short-tempered man who owned the store pushed the child roughly out. The little boy with honey-coloured hair stumbled back with a cry and, seeing he was about to fall, I steadied him and glared at the carpenter. He was hated by the townspeople for his rudeness, and for the contempt with which he treated the people of Rescet. As I mentioned before, such behaviour was practically unheard of in this town.<p>

"How disgusting of you to treat a child like that," I commented, placing my hand on the young boy's shoulder, hushing him softly as he began to sob. "Don't you have any shame?" I added scornfully. The plump, balding man gave me a once over and then snorted and spat at my feet before slamming the door on us. I recoiled in disgust and then knelt down before the cute boy who was now bouncing on his heels, sadness forgotten, and looking around, I supposed, for his parents.

"Can you see your mother and father?" I asked him kindly, though I was painfully conscious that the guard still had not arrived.

"Are you Mr. Kyouya?" He asked in that adorable little voice of his. I raised my eyebrows and stood up.

"Why do you ask?"

"You gotta come with me, Mr. Kyouya, Sir. My name's Hunny." He told me, grabbing my wrist and beginning to pull me along with surprising strength. "Hunny Nozuka. You _are _Kyouya Ootori, right?"

"Yes but... forgive me, I'm waiting for someo-"

"You're waiting for me, silly! Now keep quiet!" I was struck dumb. A child? They had sent a child to collect me? Was this some kind of joke? No, no, of course not. It was probably to be more inconspicuous... But really, this little thing? I was silent during our long walk to the northern woods... Hunny, however, was not.

By the time we reached the impatient black stallions and the solemn guards, Hunny was still chirping away, earning him a stern look from the tallest guard. Apart from the tiny blond, all the guards were glad in full armour with their helmets either rested on the floor or held in their arms. When the stallions caught sight of us they whinnied uneasily and beat their hooves on the ground, leaves and branches cracking under their magnificent weight. They were quickly quieted by their riders, who were looking over at me with something close to respect.

Behind them there was an ornate, royal blue carriage. The sides of the doors were decorated with beautiful floral patterns, carved and painted in gold. The huge wheels looked tremendously clean considering the journey they had made to get here, and I suspected that they had been seen to before my arrival. The horses that drew the carriage were the most muscular that I had ever laid eyes on. The majestic black shire stallions towered at an impressive eighteen hands high, and were all reared specifically for this job.

"This is Mr. Kyouya Ootori," Hunny declared needlessly. "He's the one who's gonna get the Prince for us!" I said nothing as I gripped by tattered little bag, still in awe of the sight before me.

"...Pardon me?" I managed at last, tearing my gaze away and looking back at Hunny. He laughed at my expression and smiled up at me with big, brown, innocent eyes.

That night I paced anxiously while the guards got some well earned rest. I agreed that I would have Tamaki there by morning, and they did not ask me to disclose anymore than that. I was thankful for that, as I had formed no kind of plan in my usually quick mind. I looked up at the stars in silence, beginning to feel the cold nipping at my skin. As I peered through the bare silver branches, I shivered under the enormity of the task that lay ahead of me. A real Prince... despite my usual logical suppression of such childish wonder, I couldn't help feeling honoured. I would be the first to meet him, and I would escort him back home. Secretly, I hoped he would be overflowing with charisma and have the natural air of authority carried by a King so that I could look up to him without feeling foolish and infantile. I hoped he would like me.

I'd travelled west until I reached the address that Hunny had given me just before I'd left. I was yet to formulate any kind of idea on how I would seize the Prince, but I soon realised that perhaps it wouldn't be necessary. It was 11pm and the skies were dark. The remainder of Rescet were by now in their beds, and my mother would be... I thought of her rasping alone in our dark house and my blood chilled. No. By now she had fantastic medical attention, and that thought made my chest burn with warmth. Tamaki, however...

I stared at the ragged blond who was sweeping the porch of the house, and on his forehead I could see the clear sheen of sweat. He looked as if he had been working all day, and judging by the frayed material on his cuffs and at the bottom of the thin, white robe he was wearing, he probably had.  
>My eyebrows had raised as I stared at him. He had looked a picture, a humble servant, full of honesty and resignation to his lot in life. Bruising on his cheek betrayed that he had lived a rather poor life, and in that moment I felt a strange, disconnected sensation as I pictured a future where he would be clean and crowned, with servants to wait on <em>him<em>. I laughed softly, catching his attention. Violet eyes fixed on mine, and then a smile spread across his beautiful, young face. My heart gave a small jolt as I realised I had been spotted.

"Well, hello there," his melodic voice rung out and sent a shiver down my spine. He took three strides and was right in front of me, leaning on his broom and staring curiously into my face. "Can I help you?"

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><p>Thank you for reading so far and we hope you will review and add this story to your favourites.<p>

Yours,  
>Terminal VIII.<p> 


	3. Target Captured

**_Target Captured._**

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><p>I trouble myself on how to describe him to you, and though I may not be overly confident in my eloquence and ability to judge and portray the type of beauty he possessed, I shall try my best for your sake.<p>

The man before me was really no more than a boy. His voice was soft and gentle and every syllable sung merrily of the gentle disposition he retained. His face was old enough to show that he would make a handsome man indeed, with high cheekbones and lips that were made for firm kisses rather than tender ones, and yet his violet eyes were still young enough to preserve a childish kind of innocence and love for all things beautiful.

"My name is Tamaki." He told me. That need for him to like me vanished. He laughed lightly, resting his hand on the side of his face, still propped on his broom, examining me with interest. "Well, would you like to talk?" I didn't need him to like me because I needed him to respect me. I was to be his tutor, after all.

"Pleasure to meet you, Tamaki, but we have no time to waste. You have to come with me."

"Hmm? I can't do that." He looked alarmed and I watched him carefully, trying to think of a good reason for him to come without telling him he was a Prince; he would never have believed me. "I can't do that, Sir, I'm afraid my master is out right now and..." He gave me a pleading look. I frowned, shaking my head. So his substitute father had made him nothing more than a common servant boy. I let my frown turn into a look of despair as an idea dawned upon me.

"I'm afraid that's the problem, Tamaki. There's been a terrible accident in the north eastern woods. We need you to help the master back here – it seems he has broken his leg, and he is in great pain." Despite all that the 'master' had probably put Tamaki through, the boy still looked horrified at the thought of the man in pain. I couldn't understand it. Why have such compassion for the people who kick you when you're down? His broom clattered to the floor.

"We must go at once!" He concluded, immediately starting to run in direction of the woods. Well, that had been easy... I turned on my heel and ran after him into the darkness of the night.

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><p>When I burst into the clearing, he was frozen, staring at the drowsy guards who had woken from his yelling for his master. Each of them had their hands rested on the hilt of their swords as they looked at him, not believing that this could be the Prince.<p>

I bent double, clutching my stomach and panting. I wasn't used to such urgent exertion, and my side stung with pain. Oxygen debt, I reminded myself gently, and began to take deeper and slower breaths.

"It's him," I managed at last. Tamaki turned and looked at me like a deer caught in headlights. The blank and innocent confusion made me laugh inwardly. I straightened up, but found myself forced back down onto one knee by the tallest guard.

"Bow," He growled quietly, and I sighed, staying on one knee as all the other guards followed suit. The damp quickly found my skin, much to my deep displeasure.

"What? What's going on?" The distress in the blond's voice was building, and I understood that he just wanted to find his injured master and go home. He stamped his foot on the ground in childish anger and then strode over and seized me by the collar, yanking me to my feet.

"What's going on?" He snarled again. I could feel his hot breath on my face, a rather welcome invasion in this cold night air. The absence of his moist breath left me feeling as if there were ice lacing my lips and biting my cheeks. I tried to remain calm as I looked into his eyes, but I could feel him shaking with anger. That was enough.

"Tamaki, nothing has happened to your master. Please, get in the carriage, and I'll explain." I hesitated, not knowing if he would obey me or try to run. He seemed to be considering the latter, but as he looked around at the dark figures of the guards and the silhouette of the magnificent swords in their sheaths, I could visibly see him reconsidering and weakening to my suggestion.

"...Alright," He whispered weakly. I ushered him into the barely visible carriage. One of the guards lit a lantern for us and slipped it inside so that we could talk in peace. The door was closed and we sat together for a few moments before I reached out and lay my hand gently upon his shaking forearm.

"...Tamaki," I breathed, trying to be delicate with him – he seemed so fragile right then, like porcelain. I was desperate for him not to fall apart in my hands. "My young Lord," It seemed odd to grace him with such a title. "Allow me to explain..."

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><p><strong>Author's Note: Our gratitude is extended to our reviewers and all those who have added this to their alerts and favourites so far. We would particularly like to thank jenniquack for such a detailed and flattering review, and we hope to hear from you again in the future. Remember, the more reviews we get, the faster the next chapter will be uploaded. <strong>

**Yours,**  
><strong>Terminal VIII.<strong>


	4. The Corruption of Power

**_Power Corrupts; Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely._**

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><p>The dawn came quickly, but no light seeped in through the trees. A thick, cold mist had rolled in overnight, and it was the bitter shivering that this induced that woke me. Tamaki now knew his role in the world, and had accepted it with a great deal of grace. When I opened my eyes, I saw him knelt outside the carriage, using the sleeve of his clothing to clean some of the dirt from the dazzling carriage, much to the bafflement of the watching guards.<p>

I stepped outside, glancing briefly upwards at the dark sky that carried the heavy threat of rain, and then leaned down, resting my hand lightly upon Tamaki's arm. He looked up at me in a typically submissive manner, and then rose with a dense confusion written on his features.

"What're you disturbing me for?" He asked softly. "I'm cleaning it up. I want to go back to visit my master and mistress. The guards said I could," He pointed out, nodding his head in their general direction. Hunny beamed at me innocently.

"I'm afraid that will be unacceptable," I told him shuffling around uncomfortably. I disliked telling the Prince what he could and couldn't do, but I didn't want it to get out that he was much more than a servant. It was too much of a risk. I saw the guards look questioningly at each other, as if asking if I had the authority to say such a thing. I had the same question. Tamaki's shoulders sagged in disappointment, and he climbed back into the carriage, staring out of the window vacantly at the white mask that obscured any sights of interest. I got in beside him and sat down, and somehow, I thought it somewhat colder inside than out. The door was closed, and soon I could feel the rumble beneath us as the carriage began to move. Tamaki didn't talk to me for the rest of that day. At best he threw me a scathing look, and at worst he purposely trod on my foot when we got out for breaks.

The first few days passed without real consequence. Despite his initial frostiness, he soon seemed to warm to me, though we didn't speak often. Perhaps he was too cold, even with the fur that was draped over him at night or perhaps he was merely lonely, but every morning I woke with his head rested on my shoulder and with the fur he had pulled over me in the night clutched in my hand. He would smile at me drowsily, and we would finally begin to talk in hushed tones about the education I had planned for him, and he would hurriedly change the subject and talk about how remarkably organised and clean the guards seemed to be.

Tamaki and I walked side by side. It was late evening and it was our final stop for the night, and so we enjoyed the cold prickle of the night air on our skin. It was refreshing to say the least.

"I miss home," He told me quietly as we walked. "I may have had to work there, but... Oh, I don't know. I felt like a prince in my own way..."

"How was that?" I asked, glancing over at him. "You didn't look much of a prince back there..."

"He – my master, that is – he said I could have his house and belongings when he passed. I was going to run that place. I was a Prince in my own way, and nobody else... nobody else would suffer as a consequence of my mistakes."

"Is that what you're worried about?"

"A little."

"Tamaki... Listen to me, I'm only going to say this to you once. This isn't necessarily the world you thought you grew up in," I gestured to the world around us. "And there may be more wrong with Allfen than you think. You can only find out more about our country by listening, preferably to me," At this, I gave him a pointed look. He rolled his eyes and nodded for me to continue. "I... Well, Tamaki," This was proving harder to say than I thought. "Tamaki, I trust you. With my life, and with this country. You seem to be a good person, and with enough tutoring, you could become a great leader, I'm sure of it. But you shouldn't be worrying about this. It's not for now. Enjoy who you are, Tamaki, and make the most of it. You have many powers that people like me will never possess." I reached over and rested my hand on his back. He looked up at me with trusting eyes. "And when the time does come, Tamaki, remember all I've told you and bring En Ohriz to ruin, for all our sakes. Keep control of yourself and of your people, and everything will be alright."

"...Thank you, Kyouya," Tamaki said softly. He leaned up and I felt the warmth of his lips on my cold cheek.

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><p>We gave up the pretence, eventually, of not wanting to sleep side by side. There was something comforting about it for us both, I think. For me, it was as it was; it was cold outside, and the warmth of his skin helped me to get to sleep faster at night. For him, I often wondered if it was something else. Tamaki, it seemed, had a tendency to cling. I would wake up increasingly with his arms around my waist, and neither of us would speak of it when he shyly pulled himself away from my body come morning light. It was child-like, but I expected little more from him; his eyes always assured me that yes, it was true, he was completely innocent in all he did and so I could not fault him for it. I found myself growing increasingly fond of the boy and by now his resentment for me had faded and was forgotten. We began to talk conversationally in between my lessons of literature and government and politics.<p>

"So my father sent you because you're clever," He began uncertainly one morning. The carriage rattled side to side, and we could hear the sounds of the horses trotting cheerily outside. It was a rare, warm day, and both of us were in good spirits. I looked up at him over the top of one of the thick hand-written books that I had been given by one of the guards in order to teach him to the highest standard.

"Seems a strange reason to send someone," He commented airily. "You'd think he'd rather send someone strong who can read; you do little more than recite the words from that thing anyway," He gestured at the book, nearly knocking it out of my hands. I gripped it tighter and glared at him.

"What are you saying exactly?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. I watched his expression carefully, looking for his usual tell-tale smirk that showed he was just trying to rile me up to distract me from teaching him.

"I just think it'd be better to send someone who can protect me too rather than just some..." I arched an eyebrow at him. "Some geek!" He laughed in an effeminate manner, and I sat back and regarded him critically.

"Considering the background you've had," I told him, "You act like a spoiled brat. Why don't you make do with what you have? Are the guards not enough protection for you?" I asked, leaning in. He crossed his legs and delicately placed his hands upon his knee. I wondered if he was simply playing the part, or if this regal nature could possibly be innate.

"Thank you, and speaking of making the most of who I am..." He leaned in close to me, and I saw a burst of confidence in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. "I want to stop by a brothel today."

"...I beg your pardon?" I asked, my eyes widening.

"And you will do as I say, because I order it! Otherwise I... I'll have you executed, Kyouya!" I stared at the man before me, and felt utterly betrayed by whatever part of me had judged his personality so inaccurately.


	5. Our First Fight

**_Our First Fight._**

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><p>And so that night, there I was, sat in the carriage outside a brothel. Nobody but me seemed to see anything wrong with what the Prince was doing. The Prince, who would one day represent our country and our people, sweating and panting against the neck of some slut who wasn't worth the air she breathed. Scum of the earth of Allfen.<p>

He emerged from the corrupted institute drunk, but perceptibly satisfied. His eyes were unfocused and he was laughing obnoxiously. There was a guard at one side of him and a whore at the other.

"You know, my dear," I heard him laughing as he ran his hand down her back. I heard him slap her ass, and the daft bitch began laughing just as hysterically as he was, though I supposed she wasn't even half as drunk. "I'm a prince! I'm _the_ prince!"

"Oh your majesty!" She cried in response, fawning over him pathetically. No doubt she thought he was too drunk to mean what he said, but it was a risky move nonetheless, and my muscles stiffened in response to those dangerous utterances. I felt sickened by the very sight of the pair, but I waited obediently and held the carriage door open with a snarl on my features. I watched as the guard who had escorted him that night left to join the others a few metres away. No doubt he would fall into a deep and drunken sleep, as the rest of them had done. It was now almost four o'clock in the morning, I judged from the lightening of the sky. I was tired, having been kept up by the drunks and my own anxiety regarding the blond's safety. I was in no mood for Tamaki's antics.

"You're not bringing her inside," I told him firmly when he reached me.

"But Kyouya!" He whined, trying to push past me. I shoved him, watching him stumble back, less than amused.

"No." He now looked to the whore and then back at me, narrowing his eyes. He was angry at me, I could tell, for embarrassing me in front of her. He stepped forward suddenly and struck me hard around the face. My cheek stung, the pain intensified by the bitter cold. I raised my hand to my cheek and felt my lips part involuntarily with shock.

"Move! I will not tolerate disobedience from you! You... You filthy little peasant." He looked me over once with disgust and spat on my face.

We had our first fight that night. I don't remember tackling him down, but I suppose I must have done. He clawed at my face and punched me, and I did something of the same back as we rolled around on the filthy ground. Lost in fury and jagged streams of an older frustration, I remember thinking with blinding anger that I was never good enough. I remembered what he said. I was just 'some geek'. Never. Good. Enough.

"Bastard," I hissed at him, grabbing at his collar. I barely heard as the whore ran, screaming loudly that the prince was '_under attack_' and woke the guards. We were pulled apart. I remember a sword being pushed to my throat, the feel of the cold metal against my neck, hands that pulled my own behind my back and a rough foot that pushed against my back and drove me to my knees. I remember Tamaki screaming impulsively for them to kill me, and I remember warm blood spilling down over my chest and the sudden sound of his voice, the way it broke with shock and became laced with urgency as he begged for them to stop. Someone pulled me to my feet. It was too dark to see who. Tamaki's arms were around my neck in an instant and he was sobbing. My young prince with his tendency to cling. With my entire body shaking and my mind reeling and he pulled me back into the carriage, ordering the guards to leave, '_immediately_'. Within a few minutes, the world descended into silence. We were alone again in the small carriage. I raised my hand to my throat, noting that fortunately the cut wasn't deep. I looked blearily at the blood on my hand.

"I-I-I'm sorry, K-Kyouya." His frightened voice broke through my reverie.

"If you weren't drunk, you wouldn't be apologising," I noted drily. "If you weren't drunk, you wouldn't have done it... And you wouldn't be stumbling on your words like an idiot..." I felt disconnected from my body and oddly calm despite myself.

"I'm sorry," He sobbed again. I watched idly as he took off his shirt, and I noted how fragile his body was as he pushed the material to my throat. I shuffled with discomfort, but he kept the shirt in place. The blood blossomed on it like roses. I closed my eyes and listened to my own breathing, calm in contrast to Tamaki's punctured and disrupted breaths. I acknowledged silently that Tamaki had nearly had me executed. Adrenaline continued to course through my veins, making me feel light-headed and making my mouth dry.

"I'm sorry, Kyouya," He whimpered again, tugging weakly at my dirty shirt with his free hand. I realised that he actually wanted a response from me, and I sighed, knowing I was too much of grown up to hold a grudge against a child.

"It's alright, Tamaki," I mumbled. I just wanted to sleep now. I could hear the birds singing and I hated them for it. I wanted the world to go back to sleep with me. Tamaki eased the shirt away and dropped it onto the floor. He pulled the fur over us both, quiet now, though his hands continued to shake. I think the magnitude of his own power really hit him that night. He pulled my arm around his shoulders and cuddled close against me.

"I'm sorry." He whispered again.

"Go to sleep, Tamaki," I responded, giving his shoulder a light squeeze and trying to ignore the stinging about my throat. He fell asleep before I did, and I felt his head slip onto my lap. Maybe I hadn't been so wrong about him after all. I stroked his soft hair, finding the motion soothing, and soon dropped into a deep and troubled sleep of my own.


	6. The Barrier

_**The Barrier**_

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><p>It was the end of a long day, and Tamaki had decided that he wanted to walk alongside the carriage rather then being carried along in it like the Prince he was. He told me simply that he preferred the solidarity of the ground beneath his feet, and the rolling of the carriage wheels had begun to make him feel rather sick. His… 'Celebrating' of his wealth had become habitual, and usually occurred once in every three nights. However, he drank less and always returned to me quietly and respectfully before falling asleep on my shoulder. There were, however whispers of his true identity beginning to spread. I understood fully now why the King had condemned this information being disclosed. I also realised now that talking to him logically over books and warning of the consequences his loud mouth could never capture his attention. In order to make him listen, and listen truly, I had to address him as a person, as Tamaki, and not a pupil.<p>

On this particular night, tired of reading and submerging myself in the academics he so desperately needed to get a grasp on, I entered one of these strange institutions with him and could not help recoiling at the terrible smell and clamor that rose immediately. Such things, I thought, would not have existed in Rescet. You could tell increasingly that we were moving closer to the corrupted and unlawful lands of central Allfen, where superstition was high and education was low. Sadly, I supposed that this -entering Tamaki's world of utter freedom and abandon - was what was required to engage with the Prince on a personal level.

I glanced disinterestedly around at the women there, who had little to offer me. My heart didn't beat faster, as I understood it was supposed to, and my eyes weren't drawn to them so much as they were Tamaki's expression which, I found, lost all innocence in those moments and became one of unadulterated lust.

"We need to talk." I told him firmly. His eyes turned to me and became rather large with surprise, and distinctly more childlike. There was no lust. I felt a peculiar and out-of-place lurch of my heart.

"You followed me in here to… talk?" He asked. Tamaki sounded almost disappointed in me.

"Tamaki, understand this, telling people you're a Prince is very dangerous. You need to stop squandering your money in places like this, it's completely unaccept-"

"Kyouya! Please. Be quiet. Please." Taken aback by the exasperation in his voice, I fell quiet. He was tired of me. "Please, I know you're clever," He began to writhe under my stare, like a child trying to explain themselves to an adult.

"It's alright, Tamaki," I told him, overcome by the need to comfort him. I didn't want things to be this way between us. I wanted him to trust me. That need for him to like me had returned, and I hated that over the past few days he had grown increasingly close the guards who escorted him to places like this. He should have been close to me.

"Kyouya, you're very clever, but you couldn't understand. You don't understand."

"Would you like to go outside to talk about this?" I found it hard to understand him and to hear him in this environment. My mind was struggling through the words, and I would have preferred to hear this outside where I could separate the words and tackle all argument effectively.

"No, I want to be in here, I have to be in here, Kyouya, I can't explain it, I'm not like you… I just don't think I was supposed to be a Prince."

"We've been over th-"

"That doesn't make it go away! Kyouya, I'm never going to be able to enjoy my life once I become a Prince. You babbling on about all this government and politics stuff reminds me of that! Let me enjoy this, please, Kyouya, because after this I have to be responsible. I will be the Prince everyone wants me to be, I will take responsibility for my people and I won't be acting like this. I can't stand the way you look at me every morning, like you're… You're looking down at me for what I've done the night before. But that's what you don't get; once you're finished with this, Kyouya, you can go home. You can go back to wherever and whatever you came from and you can be happy. This journey is the only time I'm going to have to really be myself and enjoy the company of my guards and love the world for what it is through my eyes. Magic and beauty. I don't want to hear that it's as broken as you say it is. Right now, everything is perfect and that's going to get taken away from me. Please, Kyouya, try to understand…" Despite the disjointed structuring of his sentences and their desperate meaning, the voice that delivered it was gentle and confident. I could tell that he had labored over this speech, and I felt a sudden rush of sympathy for him, but it faded quickly. Life wasn't fair, business was what it was.

"That's just something you'll have to get used to, Tamaki. I don't envy you, I admit that, but you were born as a Prince and you must live as one." I heard the false conviction in my voice falter.

"…I knew you wouldn't understand." The words were bitter. "It's not because you can't, it's because you won't. Leave, Kyouya," he commented airily, waving his hand to dismiss me. "You didn't want to be here to be my friend, you came here to lecture me. Go back to your books. I don't want you here."

Dejectedly, I sat in the carriage, playing with his words in my head. 'It's because you won't' … was he right? Was I isolating myself by keeping this mindset and for being so stubborn about my books? Perhaps I was scared too understand his world… I stared down at my feet which were pressed shakily against the floor, and toyed with the idea. There was more to the world than books, than academics. There was this… this lust, which I couldn't understand. I was supposed to throw my life away in women and drink. _**Everybody wants to give their lives away to something**_. I knew that. More importantly, I believed that. Everybody wants to lay themselves to waste for something or someone. Some people have religion, some people have their career or children, and others more morally debased things like Tamaki now who surrendered himself to the so called 'delights' of the brothel and tavern.

My self-importance and esteem relied on my academic achievements. His had relied on… his had relied on… the women he slept with? No, he didn't have that before… His money? Didn't have that then either… On… On himself? His hopes? His dreams? His fears? Self-indulgent and feminine, surely! …But maybe that was a good thing – for him. And now what did he rely on? I understood. Tamaki was lost, his values were changing, and after years of being a typical servant boy, he suddenly had the weight of Allfen on his shoulders. He had only a short while to live out the life he would miss out on. I rested my head in my hands. I got so stuck on details that it was easy to miss the big picture. I should cut the boy some slack.

When he got back into the carriage, tipsy but solemn, he tripped and looked nervously up at me, his eyes becoming guilty when he saw I was awake. He thought he had woken me up. I stood up and grabbed his arms firmly. "Sit," I told him, and he did so quickly, looking scared. "Tamaki, my dear friend…" I sat opposite him. How did I show affection? My family had always been so cold, I realised, and that had suited me fine, but now I wanted to engage with him, all those reserved customs were making my life harder. I reached out to him and placed my hand on his knee, squeezing it. "I understand. I get it. Do as you will, I love you anyway, and I'll look after you." Was that right? Was I trying to be his father? How did a friend differ from a parent? They took care of you and you them, they worry about you and you them and they need you to hold them when they are sad… what else? Nothing that I knew. But I was panicking. He looked bemused.

"…Kyouya, you are the most socially awkward little man I have ever met!" He laughed and threw his arms around my neck, giggling with relief that he wasn't in trouble. He scattered kisses over my cheeks, leaving hot jolts sparking through my skin. I felt the longing to break the barrier between us again, but I still didn't really understand what that barrier was. Nervously, I wrapped my arms around his waist. He carried on raining kisses over my cheeks, occasionally catching the corner of my mouth. My stomach twisted uncomfortably and I pulled away. He leaned back and looked at me with amusement.

"Kyouya, you need to just be –"A bell chimed midnight faintly in the distance. He had been early in tonight and we were close to reaching poor town of Noiterstiups in central Allfen. It was the bell in their clock-tower that we could hear ringing out through the night from where we sat. "-your friend. Yes, Tamaki, I understand now." I smiled kindly at him and he took his place beside me. I felt his fingers entwine awkwardly with mine, and then the fur was over us. We were quiet in the dark and utterly in love with the freedom we found in the darkness. It was not unlike the liberation that Tamaki enjoyed with the women of these houses.

"Goodnight, Kyouya."

"Goodnight, Tamaki. Sleep well, my Prince."

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><p>Note: Thank you to our reviewers, particularly our last anonymous reviewer whose words were motivational enough to finish off this chapter. A Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year. May you learn from your mistakes and make a million more to guide your paths to your own thrones, palaces and Kingdoms. Pick your battles, wage your wars, and choose well what you give your life to. <em>I want you to win the battles that are put before you <strong>so I don't have to win them for you.<strong>_

Yours,  
>Terminal VIII.<p> 


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